Gooseneck trailer hitch lock

ABSTRACT

A gooseneck trailer hitch locking device for obstructing a gooseneck coupler to prevent undesired coupling by a towing vehicle, the locking device comprising lock bodies cooperating with and obstructing the front and rear facing portions of a gooseneck coupler, a lock pin securing the lock bodies to each other, and a lock device for preventing access to the lock pin and undesired removal of the lock bodies from the coupler. The lock bodies include apertures which can be aligned with each other and with a threaded bore centrally disposed in a downward projection extending from one of the lock bodies. The lock pin is threadably received by the bore and can be extended into the aligned apertures in the lock bodies when aligned to secure the lock bodies to each other. The downward projection includes aligned openings having central axes generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the threaded bore, which openings are adapted to receive the shackle of a padlock. The padlock prevents access to the lock pin and undesired removal of the lock bodies.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Trailers attached to pull vehicles are commonly used to transportmachinery, livestock, and other goods. When the trailer is unhitchedfrom the pull vehicle, the trailer and its goods are subject to theft byundesired coupling to some other towing or pull vehicle. Trailer hitchesare of a limited variety, frequently being of standard types of shapes.Examples are ball and socket hitching devices in which the trailercoupler consists of a socket which mounts on a ball attached to the pullvehicle; king pin hitches which consist of cylindrical posts containingcircumferential recesses and fit into matching openings mounted on thepull vehicle; and gooseneck hitches. The typical or standard gooseneckhitch consists of an irregular or non-symmetrical coupler foot plateattached to the lower end of a generally vertical post, the upper end ofwhich post is attached to the trailer. The post in gooseneck hitches mayhave a horizontal component or beam at its upper end, which horizontalcomponent or beam attaches to the front of the trailer. The coupler atthe lower end of the post generally connects with a receiving device onthe pull vehicle. The coupler itself consists of front and rear facingportions of different shapes and configurations.

To prevent undesired coupling of trailers to other pull vehicles, lockshave been devised to fit over the ball or over or within the socket of aball and socket-type hitch. Similarly, locking devices have been devisedto enclose the king pin or hitch post of trailers having king pin-typecouplers. Such locking devices, however, are not generally used oradapted for use with gooseneck hitch couplers.

There is a need for a durable, inexpensive, simply operated, andeffective trailer hitch lock for trailers with gooseneck hitches havingnon-symmetrical or irregularly shaped couplers. Locking devices for kingpin or ball and socket hitches cannot be used on gooseneck couplers,because such locking devices will not fit around or be attachable to thecoupler of a gooseneck hitch. The gooseneck trailer hitch lock shouldsurround the coupler of the gooseneck, thus cooperating with it toobstruct the coupler as to prevent undesired coupling with anothertowing vehicle. Such locking device should further contain means toprevent its undesired removal from the coupler.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

The objects of the present invention are: to provide a locking devicefor a gooseneck trailer hitch which cooperates with and obstructs acoupler portion of the hitch so as to prevent undesired coupling of thecoupler with a pull or towing vehicle; to provide such locking devicewith a lock or other means to secure the locking device to the couplerof the gooseneck trailer hitch to prevent undesired removal of thelocking device from the coupler; to provide a locking device shaped andadapted to receive both the front and rear facing portions of a standardcoupler design associated with the gooseneck trailer hitch; to providemeans to adjust said locking device to properly fit the coupler; toprovide a locking device which is strong, durable and configured toresist removal by cutting, prying, or other forcible or destructivemeans; to provide a locking device which is inexpensive to make; toprovide such a locking device which can be easily installed and removedand easily locked and unlocked with a tool, tumbler combination, key,wrench, or the like; to provide an internal lock pin or setscrew to fixthe locking device around the coupler of the gooseneck hitch so that itcannot be separated or removed from the coupler or otherwise loosenedaround the coupler; to provide such a locking device with an internallock pin or setscrew to prevent easy access to the lock pin or setscrew;to provide a locking device with appropriate apertures and bores toreceive the lock pin or setscrew and secure or lock it in place; toprovide such a locking device in a single assembly so that it can beeasily stored and not subject to loss of individual pieces or componentsof the assembly; to provide such a locking device which can be slidablyadjusted to accommodate irregularities in the size or shape of couplerson gooseneck trailer hitches; to provide such a locking device with stopmeans to prevent the complete slidable separation of its slidablecomponents; to provide such a locking device with a structure permittingthe use of a sturdy "MASTER" type padlock in order to resist or preventforcible or destructive removal of the padlock.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent fromthe following description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings wherein are set forth, by way of illustration and example,certain embodiments of this invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The locking device disclosed and claimed is for use with a trailergooseneck, the trailer gooseneck having a post with upper and lowerends, the upper end being attached to a trailer and the lower end beingattached to a coupler, the coupler having front and rear facing portionsand being adapted for releasable attachment to a towing vehicle, saidlocking device comprising obstruction means for cooperation with thecoupler to prevent undesired coupling of the coupler to the towingvehicle and securing means cooperating with said obstruction means toprevent undesired removal of said obstruction means from the coupler.

The locking device disclosed and claimed in one preferred form involvesa first lock body which slidably receives a second lock body, the lockbodies being adapted to cooperate with and surround a coupler of agooseneck coupler to prevent undesired coupling. The first and secondlock bodies are adapted to receive the rear and front facing portions,respectively, of the coupler and slide together around the coupler toobstruct it and thus prevent undesired coupling to a towing vehicle. Thefirst and second lock bodies include apertures which can be aligned bythe slidable adjustment of the first and second lock bodies. A lock pinor setscrew can be inserted into the aligned apertures. The lock pin orsetscrew can access the aligned apertures of the first and second lockbodies by insertion into and through a longitudinal bore in a downwardprojection extending from the bottom of the first lock body, whichdownward projection further contains opposite aligned openings withcentral axes generally perpendicular or normal to the longitudinal axisof the bore and extending entirely through the downward projection. Ashackle of a padlock can be inserted completely through the oppositealigned openings in the downward projection. The padlock can be lockedto prevent undesired access to the lock pin or setscrew and undesiredaccess to the coupler. The downward projection can be made to threadablyreceive the lock pin or setscrew so that the lock pin or setscrew can beoperated with a screwdriver, "ALLEN" wrench, or other suitable tool. Thepadlock prevents application of the "ALLEN" wrench, screwdriver, orother tool to the setscrew when the padlock is in place and locked.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, side elevational view of a trailer showing agooseneck trailer hitch.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a locking device embodying thisinvention and disclosing first and second lock bodies separated from oneanother and, in partial phantom lines, a downward projection from thefirst lock body.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the locking device with the second lockbody fully received in the first lock body and showing an aperture inthe second lock body aligned with and above an aperture in the firstlock body.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the locking device with the secondlock body received in the first lock body and showing the downwardprojection from the first lock body.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, partially fragmentary, cross-sectional view takenalong lines 5--5, FIG. 4, revealing a lock pin disposed in the downwardprojection and aligned apertures.

FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of the locking device installed andlocked on a coupler.

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of a coupler with phantom linesdisclosing the locking device and the downward projection from the firstlock body.

FIG. 8 is a back elevational view of the locking device with the secondlock body received in the first lock body and showing the downwardprojection from the first lock body.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the locking device installed on acoupler.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosedherein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodimentsare merely exemplary of the invention which may be embodied in variousforms. Therefore, specific functional and structural details disclosedherein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis forthe claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in theart to variously employ the present invention in virtually anyappropriately detailed structure.

Referring to the drawings in more detail:

FIG. 1 generally shows a trailer 10 with a gooseneck trailer hitch 11mounted on a front facing portion 12 of the trailer 10, the front facingportion 12 being opposite a rear facing portion 13 of the trailer 10.The front facing portion 12 of trailer 10 is connected to a towing orpull vehicle via the gooseneck trailer hitch 11 and is the leading orforward aspect of trailer 10 when pulled in a forward direction by thetowing or pulling vehicle.

The gooseneck trailer hitch 11 has a post 17 with an upper end 18, anelbow 19, a lower end 20, a horizontal component 21, and a verticalcomponent 22. The upper end 18 of post 17 is fixedly attached to frontfacing portion 12 of trailer 10. The lower end 20 of post 17 is attachedto a coupler 25. The coupler 25 has a front facing portion 26 and a rearfacing portion 27, the front and rear facing portions 26 and 27 havingthe same directional orientations, respectively, as the front facingportion 12 and rear facing portion 13 of trailer 10.

FIG. 2 discloses a locking device 30 for the gooseneck trailer hitch 11,the locking device 30 comprising a first lock body 31, a second lockbody 32, and a downward projection 33, the downward projection beingadapted to contain lock pin 34 and being further adapted to accommodatepadlock 35.

First lock body 31 has a front facing end 40 and an opposite rear facingend 41, the front facing end 40 and rear facing end 41 having the samedirectional aspects, respectively, as the front facing portion 12 andrear facing portion 13 of trailer 10. First lock body 31 includes abottom 42, an end piece 43, a first upright side 44, a second uprightside 45, a top cover 46, a first stop 47, and a second stop 48.

Bottom 42 of first lock body 31 has an upper side 50, a lower side 51, afront facing end 52, a rear facing end 53, a first bottom side end 54,and a second bottom side end 55. End piece 43 is attached to or integralwith, and extends upright from, rear facing end 53 of bottom 42 and hasan upper end 56, a first side end 57, and a second side end 58. Firstupright side 44 is attached to or integral with, and extends uprightfrom, first bottom side end 54 of bottom 42 and has an upper end 59, afront facing end 60, and a rear facing end 61. Second upright side 45 isattached to or integral with, and extends upright from, second bottomside end 55 of bottom 42 and has an upper end 62, a front facing end 63,and a rear facing end 64. The rear facing end 61 of first upright side44 is fixedly attached to first side end 57 of end piece 43. The rearfacing end 64 of second upright side 45 is fixedly attached to secondside end 58 of end piece 43. Top cover 46 is fixedly attached to therespective upper ends 59 and 62 of first and second upright sides 44 and45 and to the upper end 56 of end piece 43. Top cover 46 extendsgenerally parallel to bottom 42 from the upper end 56 of end piece 43and terminates between front facing end 40 and rear facing end 41 offirst lock body 31 so as to form a cavity 65 in an area associated withand in proximity to the rear facing end 41 of first lock body 31. Cavity65, having a front facing opening 66, is defined by bottom 42, end piece43, first upright side 44, second upright side 45, and top cover 46, thecavity 65 being adapted to receive the rear facing portion 27 of coupler25 of gooseneck trailer hitch 11.

As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, first upright side 44 has an inwardprojection 67 extending inwardly from first upright side 44, and secondupright side 45 has an inward projection 68 extending inwardly fromsecond upright side 45. Inward projection 67 is located above, in nearproximity to, and generally parallel to, bottom 42. Inward projection 67extends along upright side 44 between front facing end 60 and rearfacing end 61 of first upright side 44. Inward projection 68 is locatedabove, in near proximity to, and generally parallel to, bottom 42.Inward projection 68 extends along second upright side 45 between frontfacing end 63 and rear facing end 64 of second upright side 45. In thepreferred embodiment, inward projections 67 and 68 do not extend thefull length of the first and second upright sides 44 and 45,respectively. Inward projection 67, first upright side 44, and bottom 42form first channel 69. Inward projection 68, second upright side 45, andbottom 42 form second channel 70.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 6 and 9, first stop 47 is fixedly attached to frontfacing end 52 of bottom 42 and to front facing end 60 of first uprightside 44, and second stop 48 is fixedly attached to front facing end 52of bottom 42 and to front facing end 63 of second upright side 45. Stops47 and 48 are positioned to obstruct first and second channels 69 and70, respectively, at the front facing end 40 of first lock body 31.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, an aperture 71 is generally centrally locatedin bottom 42 and extends completely therethrough. Aperture 71 is furtherdefined by an interior wall 72 terminating in wall upper edge 73 andwall lower edge 74.

Downward projection 33 extends downward from lower side 51 of bottom 42,as shown in FIGS. 2, 4, 5, and 6. Downward projection 33 has an exteriorwall 76, an interior surface 77, an upper end 78, and a lower end 79. Asbest shown in FIG. 5, interior surface 77 defines a generally centrallylocated, longitudinal bore 80 which extends completely through downwardprojection 33 from upper end 78 to lower end 79. Interior surface 77 isthreaded and adapted to threadably receive lock pin 34. The upper end 78of downward projection 33 is securely attached to the lower side 51 ofbottom 42 in proximity with wall lower edge 74 of aperture 71, such thatbore 80 is aligned with and below aperture 71. In an alternativeembodiment, bore 80 is defined by an upper interior threaded surface 85associated with, and in proximity to, upper end 78 and a lower interiorsurface 86 associated with, and in proximity to, lower end 79. In suchalternative embodiment, lower interior surface 86 need not be threaded,provided that portion of bore 80 defined by lower interior surface 86has a diameter sufficiently larger than that portion of bore 80 definedby upper portion 85 so as to permit passage of lock pin 34 through thatportion of bore 80 defined by lower interior surface 86 so that lock pin34 may be threadably received by that portion of bore 80 defined byupper interior threaded surface 85.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, downward projection 33 includes first opening93 and second opening 94 with central axes generally perpendicular tothe longitudinal axis of bore 80. First opening 93 and second opening 94are opposite each other, and each extends completely through downwardprojection 33 from exterior wall 76, to interior surface 77. Firstopening 93 and second opening 94 are aligned and, in combination withbore 80, provide and define a clear space through and in generalproximity with the lower end 79 of downward projection 33.

As best shown in FIG. 2, second lock body 32 comprises a plate 96 and aband 97. Plate 96 has a front facing end 99, a rear facing end 100, anupper side 101, a first side end 102, and a second side end 103. Plate96 contains and defines first notch 104 in first side end 102 and secondnotch 105 in second side end 103. First notch 104 extends along firstside end 102 from front facing end 99 to first notch end 106, and secondnotch 105 extends along second side end 103 to second notch end 107.Plate 96 further contains and defines a generally centrally locatedaperture 108, which extends completely through plate 96. Aperture 108 isfurther defined by an interior wall 109 terminating in wall upper edge110 and wall lower edge 111.

Rear facing end 100 of plate 96 is adapted to be slidably received infirst and second channels 69 and 70 of first lock body 31 such thatplate 96 of second lock body 32 may be slidably received by first lockbody 31 by inserting rear facing end 100 of plate 96 into first andsecond channels 69 and 70 at the front facing end 40 of first lock body31. Band 97 has an inverted U shape and includes first band end 112 andsecond band end 113. First band end 112 is fixedly attached to upperside 101 of plate 96 near or in proximity to front facing end 99 andfirst side end 102 of plate 96. Second band end 113 is fixedly attachedto upper side 101 of plate 96 near or in proximity to front facing end99 and second side end 103 of plate 96. So attached and in inverted Ushape, band 97 and plate 96 define slot 114.

As shown in FIG. 5, lock pin 34 is of generally cylindrical shape,having a threaded exterior surface 115, an upper end 116, and a lowerend 117. Threaded exterior surface 115 of lock pin 34 is adapted to bethreadably received by interior surface 77 of downward projection 33.The lower end 117 of lock pin 34 is adapted to receive an "ALLEN" wrenchor a screwdriver or some other suitable tool to rotate lock pin 34. Lockpin 34 may be a standard setscrew of size appropriate to threadablycooperate with interior surface 77 of downward projection 33.

Padlock 35 is preferentially of the "MASTER" type so as to resistcutting, prying, or other destructive removal; said padlock includesshackle 121, as shown in FIG. 6.

Apertures 71 and 108 are located, respectively, in bottom 42 of firstlock body 31 and in plate 96 of second lock body 32 such that when plate96 is slidably adjusted in first and second channels 69 and 70, aperture108 can be brought into alignment with and above aperture 71, as shownin FIGS. 3 and 5. Apertures 71 and 108 are of sufficient size to receivelock pin 34 through bore 80 in downward projection 33. Lock pin 34 isthreadably received by interior surface 77 of downward projection 33 andis rotated until upper end 116 of lock pin 34 has been received in andextends through aligned apertures 71 and 108 and until lower end 117 isabove first and second openings 93 and 94. When lock pin 34 is sopositioned in aligned apertures 71 and 108, first lock body 31 andsecond lock body 32 cooperate with and obstruct coupler 25 to preventundesired coupling of coupler 25, and lock pin 34 prevents separation orextension of first lock body 31 and second lock body 32, thus securinglocking device 30 in position around coupler 25, as shown in FIG. 9.

When locking device 30 is installed on coupler 25, first lock body 31and second lock body 32 are slidably separated or extended such thatfirst notch end 106 abuts with first stop 47 and second notch end 107abuts with second stop 48, providing as much space as possible toaccommodate and receive coupler 25. First lock body 31 is then placedaround rear facing portion 27 of coupler 25 so that rear facing portion27 is received in cavity 65. Plate 96 of second lock body 32 is thenslidably moved in first and second channels 69 and 70 of first lock body31 such that front facing portion 26 of coupler 25 is received in slot114 and band 97 and plate 96 surround front facing portion 26 of coupler25, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 9. First lock body 31 and second lock body32 16 are then slidably adjusted so that aperture 108 of plate 96 isaligned with and above aperture 71 of bottom 42 of first lock body 31.In this position, locking device 30 cooperates with and obstructscoupler 25 to prevent undesired coupling. Lock pin 34 is then rotated byan "ALLEN" wrench, or some other rotating means such as a screwdriver,until lock pin 34 extends into and through aligned apertures 71 and 108,as shown in FIG. 5. So positioned, lock pin 34 prevents the slidableseparation or extension of first lock body 31 and second lock body 32,thus securing locking device 30 in position around coupler 25. The"ALLEN" wrench or other rotating means is then removed and shackle 121of padlock 35 is inserted into and completely through both first opening93 and second opening 94 in downward projection 33, as shown in FIG. 6,thus preventing access of an "ALLEN" wrench, a screwdriver, or othertool for the rotation of lock pin 34. Padlock 35 may be locked with akey, combination, or other lock means to secure locking device 30 oncoupler 25. Locking device 30, so locked, obstructs coupler 25 andprevents undesired access to lock pin 34, undesired removal of lockingdevice 30, and undesired coupling with a towing or pull vehicle.

To remove locking device 30 from coupler 25, padlock 35 is unlocked,shackle 121 is slidably removed from first and second openings 93 and94, and the "ALLEN" wrench, or other rotating tool, is used tocounterrotate lock pin 34 until it is no longer received in alignedapertures 71 and 108. Second lock body 32 is then slidably separatedfrom first lock body 31 so that front facing portion 26 and rear facingportion 27 of coupler 25 can be removed from second lock body 32 andfirst lock body 31, respectively. The locking device can then be storedin the trailer or towing vehicle until later use is desired. Theabutment of first and second notch ends 106 and 107 with first andsecond stops 47 and 48, respectively, prevent separation of first andsecond lock bodies 31 and 32 during storage and nonuse.

Although certain embodiments of this invention have been illustrated anddescribed, it should be understood that the scope of this invention isnot to be limited thereto, except insofar as such limitations areincluded in the following claims.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is asfollows:
 1. A locking device for use with a trailer gooseneck, thetrailer gooseneck having a post with upper and lower ends, the upper endbeing attached to a trailer and the lower end being attached to acoupler, the coupler having front and rear facing portions and beingadapted for releasable attachment to a towing vehicle, said lockingdevice comprising:(a) a first lock body adapted to receive the rearfacing portion of the coupler; (b) a second lock body adapted to receivethe front facing portion of the coupler, said second lock body beingadapted to cooperate with said first lock body; (c) securing meanscooperating with said first and second lock bodies to prevent undesiredremoval of said first and second lock bodies from the coupler; (d) saidfirst lock body having a bottom defining an aperture and an interiordefining channels; (e) said second lock body having a plate defining anaperture, said plate being adapted to be slidably received in saidchannels in said first lock body such that said aperture in said bottomof said first lock body can be aligned with and below said aperture insaid plate of said second lock body when said first and second lockbodies cooperate to prevent undesired coupling; (f) said plate of saidsecond lock body defining notches terminating in notch ends; and (g)said first lock body including stops in said channels, said stopsabutting said notch ends to prevent complete separation of said firstand second lock bodies.
 2. A locking device for use with a trailergooseneck, the trailer gooseneck having a post with upper and lowerends, the upper end being attached to a trailer and the lower end beingattached to a coupler, the coupler having front and rear facing portionsand being adapted for releasable attachment to a towing vehicle, saidlocking device comprising:(a) obstruction means for cooperation with thecoupler to prevent undesired coupling of the coupler to the towingvehicle; (b) securing means cooperating with said obstruction means toprevent undesired removal of said obstruction means from the coupler;(c) said obstruction means comprising;(i) a first lock body adapted toreceive the rear facing portion of the coupler, said first lock bodyhaving a bottom defining aperture and an interior defining channels;(ii) a second lock body adapted to receive the front facing portion ofthe coupler, said second lock body having a plate defining an aperture;said plate being adapted to be slidably received in said channels ofsaid first lock body such that said aperture in said bottom of saidfirst lock body can be aligned with and below said aperture in saidplate of said second lock body when said lock bodies cooperate toprevent undesired coupling; (iii) said plate of said second lock bodydefining notches terminating in notch ends; and (iv) said first lockbody including stops in said channels, said stops abutting said notchends to prevent complete separation of said first and second lockbodies.
 3. A locking device for use with a trailer gooseneck, thetrailer gooseneck having a post with upper and lower ends, the upper endbeing attached to a trailer and the lower end being attached to acoupler, the coupler having front and rear facing portions and beingadapted for releasable attachment to a towing vehicle, said lockingdevice comprising:(a) obstruction means for cooperation with the couplerto prevent undesired coupling of the coupler to the towing vehicle; (b)securing means cooperating with said obstruction means to preventundesired removal of said obstruction means from the coupler; (c) saidobstruction means comprising;(i) a first lock body adapted to receivethe rear facing portion of the coupler, said first lock body having abottom defining aperture and an interior defining channels; (ii) asecond lock body adapted to receive the front facing portion of thecoupler, said second lock body having a plate defining an aperture; saidplate being adapted to be slidably received in said channels of saidfirst lock body such that said aperture in said bottom of said firstlock body can be aligned with and below said aperture in said plate ofsaid second lock body when said lock bodies cooperate to preventundesired coupling; (d) said securing means comprising;(i) a projectiondefining a longitudinal bore extending completely therethrough, saidprojection attached to and extending down from said bottom of said firstlock body such that said aligned apertures in said bottom and said plateof said first and second lock bodies, respectively, can be furtheraligned with and above said bore when said first and second lock bodiesare in cooperation with the coupler, said projection further definingopposite aligned openings generally normal to said bore in saidprojection; (ii) a lock pin received by said projection and extendinginto said bore and said aligned apertures to prevent separation of thefirst and second lock bodies from said coupler, said lock pin having alength adapted to extend into said bore and said aligned apertureswithout obstructing said opposite aligned openings in said projection;and (iii) lock means extending into and completely through said oppositealigned openings in said projection so as to prevent undesired access tosaid lock pin.
 4. The locking device of claim 3 wherein said projectionthreadably engages said lock pin.
 5. A locking device for use with atrailer gooseneck, the trailer gooseneck having a post with upper andlower ends, the upper end being attached to a trailer and the lower endbeing attached to a coupler, the coupler having front and rear facingportions and being adapted for releasable attachment to a towingvehicle, said locking device comprising:(a) a first lock body adapted toreceive the rear facing portion of the coupler; (b) a second lock bodyadapted to receive the front facing portion of the coupler, said secondlock body being adapted to cooperate with said first lock body; (c)securing means cooperating with said first and second lock bodies toprevent undesired removal of said first and second lock bodies from thecoupler; (d) said first lock body having a bottom defining an apertureand an interior defining channels; (e) said second lock body having aplate defining an aperture, said plate being adapted to be slidablyreceived in said channels in said first lock body such that saidaperture in said bottom of said first lock body can be aligned with andbelow said aperture in said plate of said second lock body when saidfirst and second lock bodies cooperate to prevent undesired coupling;(f) said securing means comprising;(i) a projection defining alongitudinal bore extending completely therethrough, said projectionattached to and extending down from said bottom of said first lock bodysuch that said aligned apertures in said bottom and said plate of saidfirst and second lock bodies, respectively, can be further aligned withand above said bore when said first and second lock bodies are incooperation with the coupler, said projection further defining oppositealigned openings generally normal to said bore in said projection; (ii)a lock pin received by said projection and extending into said bore andsaid aligned apertures to prevent separation of the first and secondlock bodies from said coupler, said lock pin having a length adapted toextend into said bore and said aligned apertures without obstructingsaid opposite aligned openings in said projection; and (iii) lock meansextending into and completely through said opposite aligned openings insaid projection so as to prevent undesired access to said lock pin. 6.The locking device of claim 5 wherein said projection threadably engagessaid lock pin.
 7. A looking device for use with a trailer gooseneck, thetrailer gooseneck having a post with upper and lower ends, the upper endbeing attached to a trailer and the lower end being attached to acoupler, the coupler having front and rear facing portions and beingadapted for releasable attachment to a towing vehicle, said lockingdevice comprising:(a) a first lock body adapted to receive the rearfacing portion of said coupler, said first lock body having a bottomdefining an aperture and an interior defining channels; (b) a secondlock body adapted to receive the front facing portion of said coupler,said second lock body having a plate defining an aperture; said platebeing adapted to be slidably received in said channels in said firstlock body such that the aperture in said bottom of said first lock bodycan be aligned with and below said aperture in said plate of said secondlock body; (c) a projection defining a longitudinal bore extendingcompletely therethrough, said projection attached to and extending downfrom said bottom of said first lock body such that said alignedapertures in said bottom and said plate of said first and second lockbodies, respectively, can be further aligned with and above said borewhen said first and second lock bodies are in cooperation with thecoupler, said projection further defining opposite aligned openingsgenerally normal to said bore in said projection; (d) a lock pinreceived by said projection and extending into said bore and saidaligned apertures to prevent separation of the first and second lockbodies from said coupler, said lock pin having a length adapted toextend into said bore and said aligned apertures without obstructingsaid opposite aligned openings in said projection; and (e) lock meansextending into and completely through said opposite aligned openings insaid projection so as to prevent undesired access to the lock pin. 8.The locking device of claim 7 wherein said projection threadably engagessaid lock pin.
 9. The locking device of claim 7 wherein said first lockbody includes:(a) an enclosed end defining a cavity to receive the rearfacing portion of the coupler; (b) upright sides having inward extendingprojections defining channels; and (c) stop means for preventingcomplete separation of said first and second lock bodies.
 10. Thelocking device of claim 7 wherein said second lock body includes a bandhaving opposite ends secured to said plate, said band and said platedefining a slot to receive the front facing portion of the coupler andpermit said band and said plate to surround the front facing portion ofthe coupler.
 11. The locking device of claim 7 wherein:(a) said plate ofsaid second lock body defines notches terminating in notch ends; and (b)said first lock body includes stops in said channels, said stopsabutting said notch ends to prevent complete separation of said firstand second lock bodies.